


And I Can Hardly Speak (My Heart Is Beating So)

by twowritehands



Series: Malcolm Bright Found a Dom [2]
Category: Prodigal Son (TV 2019)
Genre: Fluff, Light Bondage, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-08
Updated: 2020-04-08
Packaged: 2021-03-01 03:01:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,926
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23478163
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/twowritehands/pseuds/twowritehands
Summary: After the window incident, Malcolm needs better restraints. He knows exactly who to call for a recommendation. It'll be the first time his casual hook up (and lawsuit-waiting-to-happen) friend Nico Stavros has ever been to his home.Neither of them are prepared for what it'll do to their so-called fling.
Relationships: Malcolm Bright/Nico Stavros
Series: Malcolm Bright Found a Dom [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1689088
Comments: 7
Kudos: 89





	And I Can Hardly Speak (My Heart Is Beating So)

**Author's Note:**

> Started this fic right after seeing the episode where he threw himself through a window, and we've watched precious few after that because all the psychos feel too real and we can't deal. Self care, guys, it's important.
> 
> That being said, we love Malcolm and we just want him to be happy so here is him getting another step closer to that.

_Do you have any idea what your father is capable of?_

After his little olfactory trigger experiment, Malcolm never slept. For one thing he didn't have working restraints. For another, the window wasn't repaired so he could hear every little noise from the street below through the temporary board nailed in place. And lastly--and most notably--the unlocked memory was like an elephant in the room. One that was quiet but taking up too much space and breathing super heavily.

**Do you have any idea what your father is capable of?**

So Jessica Whitey knew what her husband was doing. She knew before the world knew. She had to know. What else could cause her panic, her fear, her anger upon finding Malcolm in Martin's hobby room?

The sad part was that Malcolm wasn't even that surprised.

The loft was quiet except for the sounds of the street coming to life behind the board.

For once, Malcolm hadn't turned on his stereo. Or gone through his exercises. Or done any of his morning routine. He just sat at Sunshine's cage, stroking her soft yellow feathers and letting her nip at his fingers with her sharp little beak.

He was tired. But not in a sleepy way. He was tired in his soul.

"Mother knows Best," Malcolm murmured as he fed Sunshine out of the palm of his hand. "How many times has she said that to me? But she never knew best or else she would have called the cops before I had to do it."

He was angry. Being this angry yet this tired was surreal. It was almost like being too angry to do anything about it. It was almost like being so angry he could just give up.

If Gil hadn't taught him to never give up, Malcolm would do it. He'd dust his hands of all of it. He'd take whatever pills Jessica poured down his throat without question. He'd throw all his degrees in the garbage and just live off family money. Be the career hobknobber that Jessica wanted him to be.

He snorted at the very thought and put the remainder of the bird seed in the cage bowl before closing the cage and returning to his kitchen. Time for his meds. Not taking them would only make things worse.

The daily quote cards were on his pill box. He went ahead and had a look at today's card. Just because the day started hard didn't mean he should toss in the towel, right?

He almost wished Gil was there to see him pick himself up out of the confusion and misery and bullshit and choose to fight back. It would make Gil smile that proud papa smile.

 _"I choose to release the past and look forward to the good that awaits me_."

Malcolm read the card out and smiled. Not so long ago, he would have disliked this card. Oh, he would have tried to find some good things to look forward to, but the only stuff he would have been able to list would have been work… work.... Gil... And more work. He would have put on his usual brave face and told himself it was enough. And maybe it would have been.

But now?

Now, when he actively let go of the past and looked into the future, the first Good thing Malcolm's mind landed on was the lips on one man in particular. Nico Stavros. That tall, sexy, dark eyed man had sinfully talented--well, _everything_ \--but his lips?

Malcolm could definitely look forward to those lips.

He was so ready to let go of the past for a few hours. After swallowing his handful of pills he plucked up his phone and dialed.

Nico's soft breathy laugh proceeded his groggy voice, "A five am booty call? You are so weird."

"Oh shit. It is early. Sorry."

"I'm up," Nico did sound more awake now. "And I'm not _against_ a morning quickie."

"Well, neither am I since you bring it up, but actually I wasn't calling for a hookup." He scoffed and amended. "Not only for a hookup, anyway."

"What's up?"

Malcolm grinned, "Hookup first. Business later."

"Actually, I don't have time. Have to be in a meeting with the Partners in like 2 hours."

"That's plenty of time," Malcolm objected. His voice was just shy of a pout and he was grateful for it. Sheesh.

"Not if I'm going to get to our usual hotel room, fuck you properly and then make it all the way to the office, it's not," Nico countered.

"Where's your office?" Malcolm didn't know, even after three weeks of regular hookups because when they met up to have sex, they didn't do a hell of a lot of talking beyond flirty rejoinders.

But the question didn't feel like prying as he voiced it, nor did Nico hesitate to give the cross streets. Trust had been established between them somewhere in the middle of the past eleven orgasms.

"And you'll be coming from Brooklyn?" Malcolm bit his lip and just dove in. "My place is actually on the way. Should give us time. Right?"

A beat. Then Nico said, "If you're comfortable with that."

Malcolm exhaled. "Yeah. Yeah I wouldn't have suggested it if I wasn't." he still felt suddenly on edge and added in a panic, "It's still just sex right? Why pay for a room that's out of our way?"

Still just sex. Malcolm closed his eyes, kicking himself. But perhaps it was for the best he redrew the line in the sand. The alternative was to go back to trying to have a boyfriend. Historically, not something that went well. Ever.

"You make a lot of sense," Nico said in his trademark easy going way. It left Malcolm simultaneously relieved and spinning. 

Was Nico really that casual about coming to fuck Malcolm in Malcom's personal private bed? Was it because he didn't care? Was it because it didn't matter--to normal people?

"Great," Malcolm breathed.

"OK cool. I'm on my way out my door now."

"OK, see you soon," Malcolm suddenly realized he might need to clean up the place. When was the last time he swiftered? He spun on the spot, looking around his home with more of a shrewd eye.

Nico's laugh was a sweet little chortle in the back of his throat. "Before you hang up, should I knock on every door between me and the office and hope you answer one of them or...?"

His address. Malcolm blushed but kept his cool. "Right. Because I haven't told you where I live. I knew that."

"Sure you did," Nico teased. And it was clear in his voice, he knew Malcolm was being a spaz. But it was okay.

"Your Yale education certainly taught you efficient problem solving. You should be proud."

Chuckle, "Fuck you."

"I'll text you the address so you can put your money where your mouth is."

***

There wasn't a buzzer downstairs; a text said, 

I'm here. I think? There is a lot of graffiti.

Malcolm hurried downstairs to open the door. Nico stood on the stoop. He was dressed for the important meeting, but his right arm was still in a sling, and he was rocking bed head. His perfect lips flexed into a sexy smirk. "Did not imagine you in this kind of place."

They ascended the stairs side by side. Something about their perfectly synced steps eased Malcolm. It was like he didn't even have to try to match anything Nico did. He giggled.

"How did you imagine me?" he asked in his seductive voice.

They reached the loft, and Nico let out a surprised sound of approval, and then a low whistle. He gathered Malcolm close with one possessive hand. "Okay. This is more like it. Whoa. Check out the blades."

Breathless by what a single hand was doing already up the back of Malcolm's shirt, he rasped, "Some pieces date as far back as the 1300s."

Nico looked impressed but then shook a finger from the saved hand. "Watch out. The Harvard Nerd in you is showing."

Malcolm stuck out his tongue, but pulled him closer by the shirt, only a pinch of the fabric to save creases. Nico brushed some hair out of Malcolm's eyes and grazed his cheek in a tender assessment thing he did a lot. This time, Nico's eyes were searing with an energy Malcolm craved. Domination. 

This side of Nico had only made brief appearances in their hookups. 

Malcolm's heart fluttered. 

But then Nico zeroed in on the birdcage behind him. The energy swiftly folded up and stowed away.

Sunshine was showing off in a loud way that demanded attention. Nico chuckled.

"Who is this cutie?"

"Sunshine."

Nico followed the sight line of the cage to the bed. "Well, Sunshine is about to see where the sun doesn't shine, unless we can cover the cage."

Malcolm snorted and snickered as he grabbed a throw blanket off the armchair. He changed in front of her all the time, but this was different.

While he draped it carefully, Nico assessed the bedroom area and clucked his tongue at the window. Malcolm became bashful. 

"Excuse the mess. There was… an incident."

"Incident?"

"Yeah."

"Let's see... the last _incident_ you told me about was a venomous snake bite. So was this _incident_ better or worse than that?"

Malcolm's voice clicked in his throat. Talking was almost beyond him by this point. He let out a weak laugh. 

"Answering that requires context and the entire idea of you coming here was to save time, not waste it."

Nico made a gesture with his free hand; a loose S shape. It meant Undress Now, which Malcolm did with a racing pulse. He loved it when Nico bossed him around, especially without words. He demanded a kiss with nothing but a lift of his chin. 

A naked Malcolm eagerly captured the soft, plush lips that made his life so much more exciting than he could have hoped. Nico squeezed his ribs. How amazing was it that he felt so secure in a one armed hug? And to think it would double one day, when he healed.

When he healed. When--possibly--he might let that caged dom out again.

Malcolm was shaking. Nico was steady as a rock, and saw every shiver and flutter. They didn't exchange another word until after.

*

Malcolm's hair was in his eyes, and he couldn't breathe. Nico walked out of the bathroom with wet hand towels and jutted an elbow at the boarded window. 

"So what happened?"

"It's actually why I called you," Malcolm leaned over the edge of the bed and fished the broken restraint from under it. "a little bit of body weight on it and it snapped. I went flying--" he sailed his hand through the air in the direction of the window.

Nico frowned at it and then fished for the end of the leather strap. His eyes sparked at the expensive wrist cuff he found. "This is good quality."

"Not good enough, apparently. I thought a professional like you could recommend the very best."

"Sure, yeah. So, uh… the dom you were playing with didn't have any suggestions?"

"Hm? Dom? No! I wasn't--there was no--It wasn't a Scene. I have night terrors. I told you that. They require a seat belt."

"You broke out of this restraint and threw yourself through that window because of a night terror? Must be intense."

"Yeah. Like I said they--they get disruptive."

Nico cupped his face. "Thank God you didn't hurt yourself…"

All the usual questions were there in his eyes. _What are the dreams about? How long have you had them? Are you seeing a shrink about any of it?_

To stem the flood, Malcolm asked, 

"So what do you recommend. For anchors?"

Nico took the signal not to pry, and moved businesslike down to the floor to have a look. 

"You've got tie down anchors, which is good. The problem was the screws you used were way too small if it's supposed to support body weight. Get some two inch lag bolts. Two per anchor. That'll keep you down just fine."

"Two inch lag bolts. Got it. I will tell my handyman."

"The same person who installed them to begin with?"

Malcolm shrugged. Nico brushed his hair back again. "Why don't you let me do it, after my meeting."

"You'd do that?"

Nico looked sheepish. "I'm a stickler for these things being done Right." his voice softened with his eyes. "I want you to be safe."

A phone alarm began to jangle. Nico stood and jumped his eyebrows. "I have to go to work. See you after."

*

Nico wielded a power drill one handed like a Boss. He crouched effortlessly on his toes, drilled, stood in one fluid motion and repeated the work on the other side. Boom, boom, done.

"There you go. Safe and secure now." Nico lifted to his feet and literally spun the drill like a pistol. 

Malcolm was salivating, practically drooling, but he tried to appear aloof and cool. "So you're like a Yale handyman."

"Easy," Nico warned, "My skills with tools came before the ivy league education. Doing renovations with my uncle."

"That's hot." Malcolm praised sliding close for a kiss. Since Nico had no hands free to grope him in the usual places, his kiss was a little extra wicked.

Fuck. Malcolm was getting hard. 

Feeling electric, he slipped on the cuffs. Just because he could. Because for weeks now he imagined being cuffed in Nico's presence and here was his chance. 

He could hardly breathe. Nico was watching his every move, silent and perfectly still. 

Once the buckles were fastened, he glanced through his eyelashes at Nico and gave both restraints the hardest tug he could.

Nico visibly lost his breath. Malcolm's arousal went rigid in his trousers. _Yes_. He wanted Nico to take him like this. 

Would he if Malcolm asked? Did he dare? 

He tugged again, pleased with the improvement. Absolutely zero give. Because it was Nico's work. His passion. Something deep within Malcolm fluttered and he felt tingles. 

Nico suddenly moved closer to him. Malcolm caught his breath. That searing look of power was back. It made him feel owned. _Chained_ and owned; two familiar feelings he had never felt at once.

More flutters stirred within, and the tingles became a shiver.

Warm eyes raked over him. Nico ghosted his fingertips over Malcolm's trembling lips.

He released hot breath over that skilled beautiful hand. "I feel really safe right now."

Nico's eyes dilated. His chest hitched, but he suddenly looked less sure. 

Malcolm hurriedly said, "I want you like this. Please?" 

A slow blink for an answer. It was a lead up to a bunch of excuses. Malcolm went to his knees urgently, at the end of the tethers which jangled. "Nothing more than we've done, only I'm tied?"

Nico's resolve wavered. 

Malcolm kissed him softly, tasting his own heartbeats on the back of his tongue. "I need you," he tugged the ties. "You do it right."

Nico growled. "That's because I'm not a dabbler." he gripped the back of Malcolm's head, tight. "I take this very seriously."

"I know. I've always," he gulped, "the shallows aren't a hard limit I just never. There hasn't been anyone I… before you…"

Nico tilted his head back for a deep, hair pulling kiss. When their mouths broke apart they were both gasping. Malcolm was throbbing, aching. His tailored pants were way too tight. He opened the fly to release the pressure.

"This isn't a good idea," Nico said hoarsely.

"Maybe it is?"

Nico grew dark. "Harvard, I'm not kidding. The relationship between a dom and sub is sacred to me. It's very delicate and," he looked down, angry. "A dom is supposed to always be in control. No weakness. No fear. At. All. Times. "

Cold comprehension spread through Malcolm's chest. "I saw you in your weakest, scaredest state so the power dynamic is tainted... If you are ever going to get back to the dom you were, it… can't be with me."

"I'm sorry."

Malcolm thought hard and stopped Nico from moving out of his chained reach. "No offense to the dom you used to be, but it's the dom you are now that I crave."

"I'm not a dom now."

"You can't lie to me, Yale. There's a part of you that will always be a dom. Maybe not professionally, not as hard core, but you have power and you like to use it."

Nico rolled his eyes. "I'm never dating another psychologist."

Malcolm's throat pulsed. "Dating?"

Nico froze. They held eye contact bashfully. One word they had both been avoiding, but out loud it wasn't as scary. Malcolm smiled, lip wobbly. "I'm never dating another dom."

He meant it too. If this one in a million feeling ever went away, he wouldn't waste a second trying to find it again. This was lightning in a bottle. Do or die. 

Nico double-looked him, and tenderly touched his face again. "This is something you've wanted for a while?"

"Since college. Do you," he gulped. "Do you prefer partners with more experience? Am I too green?"

"You are, but that's exactly what I need right now. Someone to wade in with, slowly."

A full body rush made Malcolm sway. "Yes. Yes, take me with you. Teach me everything."

Nico chortled and pecked him on the lips. "One thing at a time."

**Author's Note:**

> I know. We skipped the smut entirely. Hopefully the Feels made up for it. Maybe it should be tagged UST for the readers haha


End file.
